Trader Joes

[Luckylove]

Dustin and I have been a little sick of the same food choices. We go to Safeway looking for something new and/or different then we always have but we always come home with the same stuff. This week, we decided we would go to Trader Joes first. So my question to you is: What are your favorite yummy products at Trader Joes? Anything that we should avoid? Thanks!

[lornabrown]

Great Thread! I love hearing everyone's favorite TJ things too.
My favorite is their cinnamon raison bread & pizzas

[My3sonsplus1]

before it is gone for the season we love the mint hot chocolate...
ah the guacamole is good too assuming you are in the mood for it and will eat it all.
We also get their organic plain yogurt. They recently came out with a thick(er) version in both fat free and full fat... bananas are usually an excellent price there...
they have the nitrate free lunch meats (house brand) if you are hankering for a turkey, roast beef or pastrami sandwich.
They have fun shaped fair priced pastas in several varieties (traditional, whole wheat, rice...)
I don't know about pricing but dh likes the reduced sugar organic strawberry jam

[Lorah]

TJ's is our primary grocery store!
Until recently we bought the TJ's brand milk because it was Clover, but I'm pretty sure that the first of the year they changed over to someone cheaper. :(
We get the cheeses there because it is cheaper and still really good. Cereal is WAY cheaper and it doens't have the BHT in the packaging like Cheerios does, plus there are some good choices.
I like the fun jar sauces and such on the grocery asile. The frozen section is great for frozen fruits for smoothies, and for frozen quick dinners and such, there are some mini pizzas that Mav loves, and we like the frozen mixed veggies...there are so many kinds of different styles. THere are also some veggie combos that also have sauces to put on them. There is a Thai greenbean thing that is REALLY good!
Ohhhh in the fresh section I like the nitrite, nitrate, msg free lunch meats! and I LOVE LOVE the Noodle Salad with the cilantro ginger salad!!!! SOOO good!
Until recently I got the prenatal vits but they seem to have been discontinued.
We like just walkign through and seeing what is new....there is a new item shelf where you can see what is new all in one place too.

Also, you know that if you buy something and dont like it you can return it! even if it is open! Cheese, milk, pasta, bread...ANYTHING! Even without a receipt you should be able to exchange it for any other item.

[Lynette]

We have been eating healthy for the past few weeks so here are our fav healthier things:

Frozen brown rice (normally takes 40 min to make but this is 3 min in the micro)
Any of the Floe popscicles
Any of the frozen fruits or vegetables
Tomato soup or the "pot belly" cans of soup
Frozen stir fry mixes
Hummus

Not recently on the menu but past favs:
Chocolate peanut butter pretzals
Lemonade ice tea
Pirate's Booty (although I heard they are discontinuing this to push their own store brand which I don't think is as good)
Marie's Lovesticks, sunflower seed variety
Apple cider (I don't like cider much but this is darn good!)

I know I am forgetting stuff....

[Sara]

Anyone try the ice cream sandwiches yet? They are soooooooo delicious!!

I love everything at TJ's and use it as my primary grocery store as well, except for bread, I am not into the crunchy wheat stuff. They have good sourdough though and the cinnamon swirl bread is really good for breakfast, and is whole wheat so it is a little better for you.

[Tracee]

I like their refrigerated pizza dough. No waiting around and making your own sticky mess, you just roll it out and load on the toppings. The herb one is especially delicious.

[Lynette]

I like their refrigerated pizza dough. No waiting around and making your own sticky mess, you just roll it out and load on the toppings. The herb one is especially delicious.

Oops, forgot that one! I think it is like a $1.50 too???

[Tracee]

Oops, forgot that one! I think it is like a $1.50 too???

Yeah, pretty much in our price range :lol

[Lorah]

I like their refrigerated pizza dough. No waiting around and making your own sticky mess, you just roll it out and load on the toppings. The herb one is especially delicious.

Ohhh those are great to make breadsticks too! Before they made the herb one we would add our own herbs. It is really easy!

You can add cinnamon and sugar to the plain one and cut into strips and then twist to make a yummy dessert!

[Tracee]

Ohhh those are great to make breadsticks too! Before they made the herb one we would add our own herbs. It is really easy!

You can add cinnamon and sugar to the plain one and cut into strips and then twist to make a yummy dessert!

Oh my gosh....you just gave me a GREAT idea...I've been craving Mary's Pesto breadsticks ever since the luncheon idea came up. Twisting them with some pesto. Shizzy. Looks like a Trader Joes trip is in the cards for today!

[Lorah]

Oh my gosh....you just gave me a GREAT idea...I've been craving Mary's Pesto breadsticks ever since the luncheon idea came up. Twisting them with some pesto. Shizzy. Looks like a Trader Joes trip is in the cards for today!

I'm probably going today for a few things too!

[PixiesPlayhouse]

The Pizza dough is great, my daughter loves making her own pizza.
We also get the frozen chili verde burritos for hubbies lunches.....
They have great Nitrate/Nitrite free hot dogs ( I think they use celery which has naturally occurring nitrates and nitrites)
The hummus is really good
They have awesome prices on organic free range chicken broth
We love the cheese section!!!! They have some inexpensive choices!!!!
They used to have a really good asparagus soup, but they discontinued it :(


Terri

[Theresa]

We get pretty much everything that's been mentioned. It's my primary store too. I love TJ's!

[Lorah]

They have great Nitrate/Nitrite free hot dogs ( I think they use celery which has naturally occurring nitrates and nitrites)



Terri

Ohhh thanks for reminding me.....I need to pick some of thsoe up for Mav...HE LOVES THEM!

[My3sonsplus1]

They only have beef dogs right (besides the specialty turkey sausages)? I wish they had turkey dogs...

[Lorah]

They only have beef dogs right (besides the specialty turkey sausages)? I wish they had turkey dogs...

You know, I'm not totally sure...they *use* to have turkey dogs...not sure about now though...

Funny how I still picture the in stock items as being what was there when I worked there...even though it was 5 years ago, and I shop there all the time still....you'd think I'd be able to make a new information setting in the brain...hahahaha I guess since I worked there before the scanners (and then with them too) I just really memorized the items we had at that time...and the prices from back then too...

Anyone remember the checkers calling out the prices as they punched in the numbers? lol! I was the second fastest because I memorized all the prices! The fastest guy was the one who trained me.

wow, brings back memories!

[Sara]

Seriously, try the ice cream sandwiches!!! The chocolate chip cookie ones....OMG, I HAVE to go get some now :D

[My3sonsplus1]

choc chip ones? I don't know that I have ever seen those...

[Sara]

They are new I think. They are 2 soft choc chip cookies with vanilla ice cream and little choc chips on the outside.

[Colleen&Kail]

ooo i love trader joes! i used to eat there every day for lunch when i worked at CPS. they have GREAT lunch salads/wraps!!!

[PixiesPlayhouse]

The Mochi ice cream..........yum!!!! Green tea flavored. Those things are the best!!!!
My husband loves the NY style cheesecake too.

[TaivensMama]

I love the 3 and 4 cheese pizzas and my absolute fav is the bottled curry sauce...I just get veggies and pour the sauce over and serve it over rice! The quickest yummiest meal I eat it like 3 times a week! Also they have rice crsps (like chips) they are soooooooo good and low in fat, some even have sour cream and onion...Taiven even thinks they are chips! And the plantain chips are super tasty as well! I get the majority of Skyes food there. They have no sugar added apple sauce, mini bagels, cheap yogurt, rice cakes etc. Taivens favs are the veggie sticks, panda puff cereal and their new TJ's rice milk!! I also love the frozen chicken and rice (chinese style) it is SUPER LOW in fat and microwaves in minutes! Oh and the Gnochi (sp?) and pastas are SOOOOOOOOOOO good in the frozen section as well...I guess I could go on for hours about the things I love at TJ's! haha They are so cheap too

[lornabrown]

Orange Chicken in the frozen section along with their oriental rice. My kids love it tooo

[Lorah]

They are new I think. They are 2 soft choc chip cookies with vanilla ice cream and little choc chips on the outside.

They are newer, they were there before christmas...I WANT TO TRY THEM SO BAD! But Dh keeps reminding me that I wold eat the whole box of them rather than just one....hehehe he is right! And that just isn't very healthy for me...:)

[Lorah]

I love the 3 and 4 cheese pizzas and my absolute fav is the bottled curry sauce...I just get veggies and pour the sauce over and serve it over rice! The quickest yummiest meal I eat it like 3 times a week! Also they have rice crsps (like chips) they are soooooooo good and low in fat, some even have sour cream and onion...Taiven even thinks they are chips! And the plantain chips are super tasty as well! I get the majority of Skyes food there. They have no sugar added apple sauce, mini bagels, cheap yogurt, rice cakes etc. Taivens favs are the veggie sticks, panda puff cereal and their new TJ's rice milk!! I also love the frozen chicken and rice (chinese style) it is SUPER LOW in fat and microwaves in minutes! Oh and the Gnochi (sp?) and pastas are SOOOOOOOOOOO good in the frozen section as well...I guess I could go on for hours about the things I love at TJ's! haha They are so cheap too

THe rice milk is GREAT! We have been getting that for years there. They didn't have it for a little while because they were redoing the packaging, but it is back now. That frozen orange chicken is SOOOO good!!!!!! WE have it in the freezer as a back up just in case dinner....there is also a terryaki(sp?) chicken thing just like it too that is also really good!
Ohhh do you get the peanut butter panda puffs? Or the peanut butter puffins? OMG those are soooo good with the chocolate rice milk (not sure if they sell it anymore) and also with the chocolate soy milk! SOOO YUMMY!

[erin anne]

-Frozen Chocolate Bananas
-Triple Ginger Snaps (so good, has candied ginger in them)
-Sauces: Summer Curry and Korma
-Soup: Butternut squash (in those carton thingies)

For Parker: Greek Yogurt and Maple Cream-line Yogurt, and Hidden Treasures (replaced Pirate Booty)

[Lorah]

Dang.....Everyone is mentioning more things I wanted to get today....I just got home from TJ's..... I LOVE those tripple ginger cookies! We get those a lot!

[Sara]

They are newer, they were there before christmas...I WANT TO TRY THEM SO BAD! But Dh keeps reminding me that I wold eat the whole box of them rather than just one....hehehe he is right! And that just isn't very healthy for me...:)

It's true, you would eat them all at once, but they are SOOOOOO worth it :badscale

[Lorah]

It's true, you would eat them all at once, but they are SOOOOOO worth it :badscale

HAHAHAHAH!!!! Well....not so worth the scale yelling at me... I'm still trying to get back into eating healthy after the holidays! I gained 11 pounds between Thanksgiving and the 26th of December! I lost 3 of those so far though. :) I think those sammies would put it back on in a flash...
I don't need them.
I don't need them.
I don't need them.

I'm trying to convince myself....

It's not working :giggle

[lizirroja]

OH we get sooo much there....let me imagine the aisles....

We get pita bread, humus, those sesame seed crackers, yogurts (great price!), kefir, milk & eggs, lavendar dryer thingies, laundry detergent, curry sauces in jars, mangos and pears in jars, minestrone soup (hate the barley one!), boxes of Indian food that you cook up, a few frozen things (different every time), frozen juice, cereal bars, Barbara's cereal, wine....I know we get more than this, but I can't think right now.

[Juls318]

I love TJ's. I try to do most of my shopping there and supplement with Safeway. I love there Enchilada sauce so good. They had discontinued it at one point but brought it back now I always buy a jar when I am there, just in case. There hand made tortillas are super good, the coffee selection is nice and if you go in the morning you can taste some. I just learned that the promagranate red leave tea is yummy. In the frozen section I really like the gnocchi with pesto, chicken tamales, salmon, mahi mahi with chimi churi sauce, Margarita pizza, frozen bananas. I recently picked up there Multigrain pancake mix because they had ran out of the buttermilk and both are really good. Any chocolate chips are a good price and there really good both white and semi-sweet. Basically, my philosophy when shopping there is if it looks good, buy it, because it probably is.

[LuckyMom07]

Orange Chicken in the frozen section along with their oriental rice. My kids love it tooo

Ooooh, :yeah I could actually ":yeah" for everything you all put up there!

I'm so glad to see all the positive things about TJ's...my DH works there at the Cleveland store, so yeah, we shop there pretty much exclusively too. Be sure to say "Hey" to Eli if you ever see him. He can almost always be found bragging about his little boy!! :giggle

[Brookepanda]

The orange chicken is excellent as others have mentioned...
I may be odd...but my favorite thing is the trader joes multi grain crackers they are in a white and green box....they are so dilectible!
We get Joe's O's
the cheese puffs are DELISH! (yummier than cheetos)
veggie sticks
and a lot of the other things others have mentioned already

[LessasLashes]

It's one of our primary food sources too!!

Some Mentioned already:
Low sodium cinnamon raisin bread
Nitrite, nitrate free hotdogs (for Alessa)
Jasmine Rice
Soybutter (creamy)
the Tempting trail mix (soooooooooo good)
Frozen breaded Eggplant cutlets
Frozen fresh basil, garlic cubes
Frozen fettucini in mushroom sauce (great with chicken or beef)
Frozen orange chicken (mentioned by Lorna!!)
Frozen Brittany Blend veggies (tri-color beans, carrots)
Tri-tip asada (in meat section)
Frozen breaded fish (cod I think) fillets
Chocolate dipped Madeline cookies

Oh.. I could go on.. but I'm getting hungry typing this

[Lorah]

Ooooh, :yeah I could actually ":yeah" for everything you all put up there!

I'm so glad to see all the positive things about TJ's...my DH works there at the Cleveland store, so yeah, we shop there pretty much exclusively too. Be sure to say "Hey" to Eli if you ever see him. He can almost always be found bragging about his little boy!! :giggle

HAhaha That is the one I worked at! How long has he been there? I wonder if he was there when I was if I would know him. I trained a ton of people both at that store and at the one in the Costco center before that one opened.

[LuckyMom07]

Lorah,
He's been there for about a year now. When did you leave? I assume sometime around when Mav came into the pic??? Eli loves it working there and it really helps out that he is starting the Full Timer program. He aspires to be a Captain one day! :fingerscrossed

[howardvm]

I'm usually too lazy to drive to a Trader Joe's since there is none in RP/Cotati. But, we used to live right across the street from one in Concord. Anyway, after hearing all of this talk about TJs, we went to Petaluma last night to get some pizza dough, sauce, and toppings and we made pizza last night. MMMMMMM!!!!!! And, we used to always get their apple dumplings, so we bought some last night too. I'm also eating their pear and gorgonzola salad right now:)

[Lorah]

Lorah,
He's been there for about a year now. When did you leave? I assume sometime around when Mav came into the pic??? Eli loves it working there and it really helps out that he is starting the Full Timer program. He aspires to be a Captain one day! :fingerscrossed

Oh no I wouldnt know him then....I left when I graduated college and entered the single subject credential program...January 2003. It was only a temp job for me to pay the bills while I got my BA. Then I went back to teaching when I was getting my credential. I currently have a job waiting for me with CRPUSD where I went on leave a few weeks before Mav was born.

[Lorah]

Lorah,
He's been there for about a year now. When did you leave? I assume sometime around when Mav came into the pic??? Eli loves it working there and it really helps out that he is starting the Full Timer program. He aspires to be a Captain one day! :fingerscrossed

Ohhh man, to be a Captain....lots of work ahead of him. I hope it all works out! So, wow, then you are probably going to have a big move in your future then huh. When he makes captain someday that is. Unless they open a new store in the area huh. I had a couple of friends make captain when I was there, all moved back east as that is there all the new stores were opening. I have wondered how much has changed when it comes to that...I'm sure a lot huh.

Glad he likes it!

[KaisaG]

We get little Eman's milk there. It's the cream top organic stuff... it's REALLY good. All of their milk is better than most store brand milk still I think (I had heard it was CLover, but I don't know if it changed). Eggs are SUPER cheap there (like $1 per dozen).

I buy their chicken fajita salads sometimes for lunch when I am working-- They have like 40g of protein and only 7g of fat. They come with a salsa instead of dressing so it's way better for you.

DH loves the orange chicken... I don't recommend the teriyaki chicken that is right next to it as it is COVERED in fat.

The 3 minute rice is really good, but they don't regularly have it in stock (which irritates the crap out of me).

The frozen green beans are really good and like $2 for a giant bag of them. Actually I think for the winter time when produce is crap/expensive, the TJ frozen vegies are a really good alternative.

The cinnamon bread is really good, but I think the rest of their bread is crap because it seems dry to me. Bananas are good, but they seem to go bad fast. I don't care for their yogurt... it's too acidic IMO.

If you like tomato soup theirs is really good too... Oh and butter there is reasonable too... like $3. DH loves their "clouds" which are turtles (caramel/pecans covered in chocolate).

[LuckyMom07]

The 3 minute rice is really good, but they don't regularly have it in stock (which irritates the crap out of me).

:yeah I KNOW!!! I HATE when they don't have something in stock...drives me insane! I've been waiting for almost 3 weeks now for either store to carry my Cornflakes. DH says since its been so long it probably is in danger of being discontinued. :irked

[Lorah]

All of their milk is better than most store brand milk still I think (I had heard it was CLover, but I don't know if it changed). .

Yep, it changed :( its no longer Clover, I'm bummed, it was the best price for clover anywhere (cause they didn't say it was clover....it was under the TJ's brand name).

[jellybeanmichelle]

Ok, so which TJ's do you shop at?
We've been to the one in the Costco center, and with all the food your talking about, doesn't seem like that one store would carry it all. Is the one on Cleveland bigger?

By the way, reading this whole thread is making me hungry!!!!

[Lorah]

Ok, so which TJ's do you shop at?
We've been to the one in the Costco center, and with all the food your talking about, doesn't seem like that one store would carry it all. Is the one on Cleveland bigger?

By the way, reading this whole thread is making me hungry!!!!

Both stores should carry the same things since their distributors are the same. THis also is true of the Petaluma store too.

Everything we have been talking about is at both the one in Costco center and the one off Cleveland. They are approx. the same size too.

We shop at both since we are inbetween the two so we switch it up. Plus that way I can say hi to everyone at both stores that I know.

What are you looking for that you cannot find?

[jellybeanmichelle]

What are you looking for that you cannot find?

Not looking really. Just wondering.

[lornabrown]

Ditto about the cornflakes. What's the deal? It's the only cereal I buy from TJ's since my kids only get cornflakes, cherrios or rice crispies. I don't like their version of cherrios. Any other cereal recommendations?

[My3sonsplus1]

my kids like the TJ's raisin brand and also the puffs at times, and the pumpkin granola, either the TJ brand or the pumpkin spice/hemp of the other one. If we buy a "fancy"/sugary cereal (we also love yogurt burst cheerios but those are pretty $$)we usually cut it in half with plain cheerios or kix. A non TJ cereal we love is the new nature valley cereal with granola bar bits in it. We found it at groc. outlet for 99 cents, not sure its normal cost. We also were liking the cranberry oatmeal for a while (cut with a plain) but we are off that wagon right now.